Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 134: Docara

The deep black of the ships perfectly melded in with the darkness of the night. It was a new moon, and only the faintest silver starlight shimmered across the surface of the water. 

All the torches and lights on the ships had been doused out, and every window had been shuttered tight. The only sounds were the gentle lapping of the waves against the hulls of the ships, and the murmurs of Anteris' Captains as they spoke to their leader. 

In the distance, the outline of the islands could be seen, with faint points of light scattered around the coastline. These were the small fishing villages that the Multas people preferred to live in, when they weren't staying on their main settlements, further in the forests.

On the eastern side of the nearest island, the bright torches and lamps of the outpost shone in the light, if anything, the outpost was a deterrent to the people of Multas, a reminder of the military might of the empire. 

The garrison was small, and they had no way of repelling any real invasion, but also had no reason to fear one. The nearest nation was Kalun, and there was no chance that Kalun would jeopardize their flourishing trade with their Empire. 

"You lads, didn't realize you were all so special. I've had a command from the Grand Marshal himself, says we're to pack you in one of our raiding canoes and row you lot out there." The captain of the vessel strolled over to Kothar and the other masked individuals. No wonder they were all masked and ominous, he thought to himself.

There were nods all around, but no voices rose out from amongst the gathered soldiers. The captain had a confused look on his face.

"Well, who's in command around here? Who'll lead the battle?" The captain looked at all the blank faces, the only motion on the faces was that of the strange man with the magical artifact that projected blurred faces over his own. 

"No one. It'll be fine." Many of the men piped up, along with a few chuckles, before another voice rose up. Louder than the others.

"Anyone here got trouble taking someone out without waking the entire outpost up? No? Good. Let's keep things quiet and try to incapacitate rather than eliminate. If you're not well suited to combat, then hang back on the fringes." The hawk-masked man piped up after the murmurs died down, it seemed that a leader had appeared. 

"Looks like we've got a commander, what'll it be, sir? Shall we call you Captain, General or perhaps, Commodore? Seeing as we're on a ship and all?" The horse masked man seemed eager to provoke the man with the hawk mask, and there was obvious mockery in his voice.

"Captain is fine, Docara if you'd rather not call me by a title. You can be Pony." The grin in Docara's voice was obvious, and Pony's body language made his embarrassment clear.

"Share a nickname before we get close to the island, otherwise I'll just call you ****head, and that'll be it for the rest of this campaign. And keep it quiet." Docara seemed experienced with command, and expertly kept the many soldiers inline, though they knew little about one another.

Kothar gave the name he had used on his way to Ranuth, Rufus. He would much rather have a name he was already familiar with responding to, and didn't want a rude nickname from the Captain.

[He seems far too comfortable with command than Simon, surely it couldn't be him.] Kothar said to Silane, watching as Docara crouched down near each one of the unitless soldiers, having murmured conversation with each one.

[I don't know, Kothar, the man is a chameleon. I think if he were to disguise his face he'd be able to disguise himself through his mannerisms alone.] Even Silane, an AI, found it difficult to create a body language profile for Simon, with how much his actions could differ. It was as if he could become a different person entirely when he wanted to hide himself. 

A shallow bottomed canoe was lowered over the side, it was large, almost the entire length of the galley, and there was a soft splash as it landed in the water. 

Every single of the unitless soldiers, now Docara's soldiers, hopped softly into the canoe, the sailors looking on in admiration, they could easily be experienced pirates.

"I'll need you lads to row, slice into the water, don't slap it, or all this sneaking around will be useless." The captain of the ship had joined, this task obviously too important to delegate.

Kothar joined the others and nodded, and the canoe slid smoothly through the water, only making the slightest whisper of noise. 

Docara tapped one of the men on the shoulder, gestured for him to take his oar, then stood up. 

He raised his palm up into the air, and Kothar used his Mana-Sensing lens to watch as a net of Wind Element Mana spread out over the entire canoe and the men within. Settling down and wrapping around everything, Kothar included. 

Docara stayed standing, and it took a few seconds for even Kothar, who had seen the spell settle over everything, to realize the effects. Every single noise that Docara's web touched had been muffled, there was no longer any rustling of cloth or clanking of armor. The only noise that remained was a slight hiss, a fusion of the loudest parts of every sound that had not been drowned out completely.

[Alright, it can't be Simon. He doesn't use the Wind Element.] Silane said, clear satisfaction in her voice.

[He doesn't use Wind Element Magic as far as we know.] Kothar corrected her, and laughed as she grumbled. Not using an element just to maintain a disguise would be exactly the kind of thing Simon would do to maintain a disguise.

The canoe shot toward the hulking silhouette of the island, and the dimly lit shore was now in sight, the silver sands would soon be swarming with Docara's fifty odd soldiers.